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If 2015 produced some sparkling rugby from the Exeter Chiefs, then the New Year began with little fizz for Rob Baxter’s side as they slipped to defeat at Franklin’s Gardens.

Mike Haywood’s first half try, plus a penalty from Northampton fly-half JJ Hanrahan, proved sufficient enough reward for the Saints to see off Devon’s finest.

In a contest which failed to live up to all the pre-match hype, the scant consolation for the travelling Tribe on a miserable afternoon was that their side were able to at least grab a losing bonus point.

Gareth Steenson’s late penalty did...

Will Chudley says Exeter Chiefs need no reminding of the threat posed by Northampton Saints in their latest Aviva Premiership encounter this Friday (3pm).

Although the Midlanders are without a win in their last three games, Jim Mallinder’s side are always a tough nut to crack on home soil and Chudley is expecting a backlash of sorts following their surprise loss at London Irish last time out.

“Going up there is very much like Sandy Park,” said the scrum-half. “It’s always a great atmosphere, they have very passionate supporters and they have a great team. We know it’s going...

Exeter Chiefs have been dealt another untimely injury blow with the news that lock Damian Welch is set for an extended spell on the sidelines.

Head coach Rob Baxter has confirmed the 33-year-old lock is to be ruled out for several months after picking up a chest injury in the recent European Champions Cup game away to ASM Clermont Auvergne.

Welch, who is undergoing surgery today on the pectoral muscle injury, has been a key member of Baxter’s side since arriving from the Scarlets back in the summer of 2012.

Read more at: http://exeterchiefs.co.uk/news/chiefs-suffer-...

FIRST-HALF GOALS from Wimbledon’s Tom Elliot and Lyle Taylor handed Exeter City their third successive league defeat.

City’s Paul Tisdale made one change to the starting eleven who fell to a 3-0 defeat at Oxford, with Lee Holmes coming in for Ollie Watkins out wide. As for Wimbledon, Neil Ardley made a host of changes, but included defender Paul Robinson, whose red card at the weekend was overturned on a successful appeal.

It was City who created the first opening of the game when good interplay between Holmes and Woodman resulted in the latter striking a powerful right-...